Kurt, We Hardly Knew Ye

OpinionJournal.com ^ | November 20, 2002 | NANCY DEWOLF SMITH

[WaveThatFlag]

For the first time in my few years on FR, I suddenly long for killfile capabilities. You have no idea what you're talking about.

Gee, your taking this personally.

[WaveThatFlag]

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Even if it does not make much of a case for the Who. I'm not going to get into a detraction of the Who, because I am a fan. But I'm also a fan of a lot of other unoriginal acts that were fun to listen to. When Nirvana arrived on the National scene, there was nothing else like them. They grew as a band through several albums. People copied them. An new genre was born. The lead singer died. The end. No, they didn't change the world. All I said was they changed rock more than the Who did.

[mgstarr]

I think your perspective is a tad skewed but like you said, "you are certainly entitled to your opinion". To say the The Who was neither unique or groundmaking indicates to me that you don't have the slightest clue what was happening in rock at that period of time.

WaveThatFlag signed up 2002-10-07.
But welcome to FR.

[presidio9]

Not that it has anything to do with anything, but WTF was been here under several names since 1999.

[WaveThatFlag]

Look, I'm sure that there are way more conservative Who fans than Nirvana fans, so it is pointless to debate the merits of these bands in this forum. But think about it:
If the Who had never existed, rock would be pretty much the same today (or, in 1980 -to be fair). If Nirvana had never existed, rock would be very differnt today. If this is not clear to you, either you are the one who is unimformed about music, or you are unable to emotionally detatch yourself from your love of them Who. It's easy for me. The Allman Brothers are my favorite band. And both the Who and Nirvana were more important than them.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Huh? How does wishing to not see your drivel equate to taking this personally?

[Revolting cat!]

Rock and roll has gone down and down. However primitive Hank Williams and Elvis Presley were in person, there is richness, depth, and subtlety in their 1950s output (Sun sessions for the latter.) All of that is missing from most rock, as it is now called, since the Sex Pistols. This morning, while driving, I was forced to listen to a cut by a grunge band called Green Day, a ballad in the style of the early Beatles, but lyrically and melodically weaker and dominated by a two note bass line, to cover up all other shortcomings. It pretty much summed up for me the entire grunge punk style. It'll all be forgotten. Soon.

[FITZ]

However primitive Hank Williams and Elvis Presley were in person

I think they were known and listened to by almost everyone of their generation, so were the Beatles, the Who. Music seems splintered now, there are people who listen only to pop, those who listen only to country, those who listen only to alternative, those who listen only to rock ---no one is "universal" like before, none define their generation.

[Atchafalaya]

zzzeeezzzeee Top

[falfa]

If my Courtney Love were my "soulmate" I might eat a gun too.

[jedwardtremlett]

This is some pretty sick stuff. I didn't know the guy had that kind of a storm rattling around in his skull. Maybe it was the drugs and maybe it was just him - who knows?

But I think this underlines something important: just as there are some things that should just be left unsaid, there are some thoughts that maybe should just remain between you and yourself, and be shared with no others. Learning that is one of the steps to maturity. Flaunting it knowingly is, perhaps, one of the jobs of the artist, but you can't expect to be universally loved if you go way out there.

And then there's the important lesson: if you're even somewhat famous, never, ever leave your diary around where they can find it after you're dead. Either that or never write down anything really incriminating or embarassing.

J

[jjm2111]

If my Courtney Love were my "soulmate" I might eat a gun too.

But she's so classy and beautiful. Not.

[jjm2111]

Also, did Love's stupid untalented band Hole sell ANY albums?

[WaveThatFlag]

I'm not a fan, but Hole did sell almost 8 million albums.

[WaveThatFlag]

Your need to include vitriol and sarcasm in every single post indicates that you are taking it personally.

Just a shot in the dark here: I'm guessing that you are also a Billy Joel fan. Am I right?

[jjm2111]

Well, there are plenty of stupid people in this world. Hell the backstreet boys sold lots of albums and they suck!

[WaveThatFlag]

Right. And a majority of voters elected Bill Clinton President. Twice.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Of course you're wrong. As usual. Tedious, too.

[WaveThatFlag]

Of course you're wrong. As usual. Tedious, too.

Challanged by your pithy observations like "you've got to be kidding," I nonethless feel the strength to carry on.

[WaveThatFlag]

Still think Kurt Cobain was a dirtbag?